Dark Age

—an axe age, a sword age—shields are riven—a wind age, a wolf age—before the world goes headlong.. — The Eddas

The Dark Age is the first of the three ages of Rise of Kings and ranges aproximately from 888 AD - 1100 AD, starting with the permanent breakup of the Frankish empire into West, Middle and East Francia and ending with the beginning of the Crusades, the importance of castles, and the rise of the feudal system.

In Rise of Kings, the Dark Age allows for early and quite broad economic and military development, with most buildings and units and a few techs available, though Dark Age military units and fortifications such as the tower and fort do not stand much of a chance against a Castle Age army. Factions such as the Norse and Byzantium are often at their peak during the Dark Age.

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Although the Roman empire by the 9th century was as good as gone, its spiritual successor, Byzantium, was still alive and well, ensconced behind stout walls and treacherous seas on the Bosphorus, and vastly rich, given its control of the trade routes into Europe from the Middle East and distant China. There was competition, however: to the north lay the Russian states, which were growing in strength which each day, and to the south the Muslims, although disunited, would be soon reunited once more under the rule of several able caliphs.

All this, however, was nothing compared to the state of affairs in Europe and Asia. There, the many barbarian tribes that had split the Roman empire apart were beginning to coalesce into different kingdoms and while they may have remained small, weak and disunited, they were already showing signs of being potential competitors. Chief of these was the so-called Carolignian Empire, which covered most of Northern Europe and stretched south across the Alps into northern Italy. In Asia, the Tang still continued to rule China and remained the most eminent power in the Far East, although it was increasingly coming under the strain of having to fend off incursions by Turkic tribes, which were now making their presence felt in both continents.

1000: Spontaneous celebrations in Rome, as people were relieved to discover that the world had not ended yet at the onset of the new year. This event would mark the beginning of the end of the Dark Age.

1000s: Kara Khans became Selcuk vassals. Gunpowder began making appearance as a weapon in China by this time.